


Pen and Paper

by Kimochiru



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Backupsmore University, College, FiddAuthor Fest, Fluff, I think I made this way too fluffy, I use too many adverbs hahha, It's just definitely not platonic emotional bonding uvu, M/M, Sorry Not Sorry, Well they're actually not together yet, but it's still pretty gay (tm), maybe a little ooc?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-24 01:55:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7488804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimochiru/pseuds/Kimochiru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Pen and paper, shield and sword, Our quest shall be our sweet reward!"</p><p>Fiddleford comes across an intriguing board game that he and his roommate, Stanford, could try out. They end up learning about something much more than just the instructions of the game.</p><p>[FiddAuthor Fest Prompt: College]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pen and Paper

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Just a small forewarn. Since the Journal hasn't been released when I wrote this, I decided to characterise Fiddleford based solely on his (limited) canon appearances: eccentric and energetic. (You might catch a hint of Ni and Ne contrast between Ford and Fidds if you're into Jungian theory!)

“Hey, Fiddleford! Mind if I walk with you?”

The voice came from the direction of the Humanities hallway. Fiddleford whipped his head in that direction and saw a Physics classmate waving to him.

“Sure thing, man!” Fiddleford smiled as he slowed down to allow for his peer to catch up (He was on his way to the dorm to check up on his roommate, but Ford could wait. Fiddleford wanted to speak with his classmate.). He didn’t exactly know them very well, but they did share some interests in common. That common interest being coming up with as many absurd inventions possible.

“Soo... McGucket, you able to top last week’s idea?”

“I wouldn’t be worthy of the name ‘Fiddleford Hadron McGucket’ if I couldn’t! Hear me out.”

Once they settled into a comfortable walking pace, they fell into a conversation. Challenges spurred back and forth, ideas bounced about, and faint concepts grew into the more wholesome plan of a crazy contraption. They were conversing over building a death ray when they passed the bookshop. Fiddleford gave the display window a cursory glance, but he didn’t see anything of interest. His comrade, however, stopped abruptly.

“Woah, woah! Wait a moment. Have a look at this!”

Fiddleford sharply jerked his head back to see his classmate jab a finger towards a bluish-coloured box. He took a few steps closer to inspect the object in more detail.

“ _Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons_ ?” Fiddleford read. Barely able to suppress a chuckle at the ever so _subtle_ title, he asked, “Wh-what’s so cool about it?”

Fiddleford received a warning stare before he got a response, “It’s a game that definitely makes up for the title, so _don’t you dare._ ” Satisfied by Fiddleford putting up his arms as a peace gesture, they continued, “There are a lot of rules, but basically the objective is to defeat the antagonist wizard named Probabilitor. The catch is you have to defeat him using math, calculated by the stats of your main character that you create to send out on the quest!”

That actually… sounded quite interesting. Creating your own character? Battles using statistics? Fiddleford nodded, “You’re right, it does make up for it’s rather underwhelming title.” Pausing thoughtfully, he added, “Sounds like something my roommate, Stanford, would like, too. Reckon I’ll get one, then. Thanks for the recommendation!” He drew two fingers up in thanks and then whirled around into the bookshop, leaving his classmate to finish plotting the many ways to build a death ray alone.

* * *

 

“Hey, Ford! Guess what I got today!” Fiddleford’s cheerful voice rang throughout their dorm.

Stanford looked up from his thesis to see his friend locking the door and holding a bag, imprinted with the familiar logo of their favourite bookstore. Ford’s eyes lit up immediately, “Did the new book release already? I thought that was next week!”

“The book-? Oh! No, sorry. But this, I promise you, is even better!” he held up the bag and shook it mischievously.

Interest piqued, Stanford sat up from his desk and walked towards Fiddleford’s bed as his friend gestured him to come. They settled comfortably next to each other, sitting on the edge of the bed. Ford’s gaze was unwavering as he observed Fiddleford carefully remove a package from the bag. Setting the box on his lap, he slowly tore through the brown paper wrapping. Impatiently, Ford leaned in closer to get a better view of the item that was supposed to be better than the glorious first-hardcover-edition of a new book. When the packaging was unwrapped, Stanford’s eyes laid upon a blue-green box, decorated with yellow swirls, that read _Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons_. Puzzled, Ford finally tore his eyes away from the mysterious object to questionably gaze at his roommate’s face instead.

“What is it?”

Fiddleford was beside himself with excitement. When his classmate explained the game, it sounded like a pretty fun concept, and now he’d be able to actually try it out with Ford. The animated look on his face was suddenly replaced by realisation, however, when Ford’s question finally registered in his mind. He lifted the top cover of the box as he replied, “Oh! It’s a roleplaying game where you create your own characters. Apparently there’s some statistics involved with that, and ya send them out on a quest of paper and maths to defeat some disagreeable wizard name Probabilitor.”

“There is math involved? That sounds fun,” Ford remarked, “So, how does the character creation work?”

Pulling out a piece of parchment that appeared to have been folded eight times to fit into the box, Fiddleford shrugged, “I don’t rightly know the details yet. Just bought it, after all. Let’s go through the instructions.” He inched towards Ford, letting him take the instructions in his hands as well.

They were close enough so that the tips of their hair brushed and tangled together. Comforted by the warm intimacy, neither of them pulled away.

“Heh, look at the motto written across the back,” Fiddleford mused, “Try saying it dramatically, Ford.”

When he read the series of words printed on the paper he was holding, Stanford couldn’t help but let out a snicker of his own. After lowering the instructions from his grip, Ford puffed out his chest and lifted his head with mock bravado. Raising his free arm up grandiosely, he recited the phrase in a stentorian voice, “With pen and paper, shield and sword, our quest shall be our sweet reward!”

The two roommates burst out laughing, sparkling gazes fixated on each other. Their giggling eventually faded, but they continued smiling, enveloped by the shared serene moment.

“So,” Fiddleford coughed, averting his eyes, “let’s figure out how to create a character to send off on a quest with pen and paper, shield and sword.”

Ford nodded, somewhat winded. “Right, so...” he cleared his throat, “It says here that you have to roll a 38-sided die. I think I like this game already.”

“Told ya it’s better than that book! ...Although, I was admittedly looking forwards to the release myself.”

“Well, if it’s any compensation, we now have something to occupy our time while we wait.”

“Let’s get rolling, then!” Fiddleford joked.

 

After completely reading the rules of the game (as well as setting up graph paper, writing utensils, and the props on the floor), they did just that.

Stanford watched his friend roll the oddly-shaped die and then let out a small exclamation of triumph upon seeing what he had received. Ford couldn’t help but ask, “What number did you get?”

Startled, Fiddleford’s head lifted to stare at the person who spoke to him.

Ford smiled knowingly as he repeated himself. His roommate often times disconnected from the physical world, especially when an idea (or ideas) swept him into the boundless skies of his own mind.

“Ah, well, I rolled this!” Fiddleford lifted his character sheet up and showed Ford the “Intelligence” stat.

“A thirty-eight? Goodness, Fiddleford! What are you going to do with that?”

“Well… since you have to add a restriction to values over thirty, I suppose the intelligence will drop to, say, fourteen if the character had to use the charisma stat in the last few turns.”

Ford mused, “Sounds like my character.” Glancing down at his partner’s stats, he added, “Perhaps I could make a sketch of them?”

“Ya will? Thanks, Ford!” he handed over the sheet of paper to the six-fingered artist. “Oh, erm, you probably want to know what he looks like.”

Ford nodded and let his hands create the figure as Fiddleford described his character to him. After it was finished, Ford realised it had a striking resemblance to-

“H-hey! You purposely made it look like me!”

Fiddleford snickered, “Took ya long enough.”

“Is this actually what you think of me? Charisma of ten? _Really_!”

“Well, you _do_ have a strength stat of twenty-one, because you did boxing before. And mainly because you’re rather strong-willed.” Fiddleford’s voice lowered as he spoke in a softer, more genuine tone, “I-I actually admire that trait in you, honestly. You always have a goal to pursue, and you won’t let it go until you come up with the most efficient way to achieve it.” He gestured to himself, “Meanwhile, I sort of… just go follow whatever catches my fancy for the time being, and then move on. Ford, you possess a kind of strength not many people can say they have.”

Ford gaped at the compliments tumbling out of his roommate. There weren't very many people who genuinely praised Stanford for something other than his school performance. “I- well, thank you…” Ford faltered. Giving an uncertain smile, he hesitantly asked, “Would you like to hear what I think of you?”

Fiddleford, face flushed from the confession, nodded, curiosity replacing the nervous look in his eyes.

Stanford rolled the die, and though the number wasn’t the one he wanted, it was close enough. “Well, in contrast to what you think of me,” he said as he scribbled a “19” on the charisma, “I think you’re amiable in the charming, clever way. You’re not at all a mindless chatterbox.” After that, he showed his friend the highly marked intelligence stat.

“Really? Even though I’m… I’m always jumping from one thing to the next? That seems sort of, y’know...”

“No, that makes you flexible,” Ford argued, “If my strong will is a rare strength, then so is your flexibility. Even if you have a defined opinion on something, you’re still willing to take in so many new perspectives, new interests, to expand upon it!”

Flustered, Fiddleford could only remark, “And your strong will makes you stubborn as a mule.”

“Then your open-mindedness makes your creativity fly like a bird!”

Finally, Fiddleford gave in, as he chuckled, “Well, I _was_ just coming up with at least twenty blueprints for a death ray just before I bought this game, so I guess you’re right, Stanford. Thank ya kindly.”

“Of course I’m right,” Ford joked. “But really, Fiddleford, a death ray?”

“Hey, I can be ambitious when I want to be! You should have rolled a higher strength stat.”

A foreign, but not unwelcome, warmth engulfed Stanford and Fiddleford, drawing them towards each other, despite the fact that they were sitting on opposite ends. And so they continued to share their inner thoughts and doubts, bound by the intimacy formed from pen and paper.

**Author's Note:**

> Aah, I finally finished this. Writing is so exhausting, I definitely rushed that ending (not something I'm proud of). It's probably going to be a while until my next publication. Thanks for reading! *waves feebly*
> 
> BTW: I also have this on my Tumblr (kimochiru-creativity.tumblr.com) and it has a companion drawing to go with this story, if you're interested ^^


End file.
